Speed-changing mechanism



W. I. WHEELER. SPEED CHANGING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1920;

' Patented July 4, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1920- Patented July 4, 1922.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 24, 1920. Serial No. 360,955.

character wherein pressure is employed to automatically vary the speed of the driven shaft of a motor vehicle in accordance with the engine load.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this general character embodying a driven shaft operatively engaged with the driving shaft and wherein the driven shaft is provided with means embodying a mobile element to vary the speed of the driven shaft in accordance with the requirements of practice and in a manner obviating the use. of gears and which operates automatically.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this general character which embodies a driving shaft operatively connected with the driven shaft and wherein said connection includes a casing rotatably mounted upon the driving shaft and provided with a plurality of cylinders in communication therewith with each of said 4 cylinders in connection with a chamber common to all and which casing, cylinders and chamber are adapted to contain a mobile medium and which structure further embodies novel and improved means for'imparting rectilinear movement to the pistons within the cylinders during the rotation of the driving shaft to create the requisite pressure of resistance to vary the. speed of the driven shaft in accordance with the engine load. v

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved speed changing mechanism whereby certain important-advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

\ The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

F gure 1 is a View partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation, illustrating a speed changing mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my in vention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in plan, illustrating the element or member carried by the rod of a piston for co-action with a rotary element to impart the requisite recip- I'ocation to said rod and the piston carried thereby;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3. of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating in detail the automatic controlling mechanism herein employed;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating in detail certain other features comprised in said controlling mechanism;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken in' a direction circumferentially of the chamber common to all of the cylinders and through the controlling valve, said controlling valve being shown in full open position;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the supporting member for the valve unapplied;

and

Patented July 41, 1922.

Figure 9 is a view in perspective of the controlling valve as herein embodied unapplied. I As disclosed in the accompanying draw- .ings, D denotes a driving shaft and S denotes a driven shaft in longitudinal alignment with the shaft D. Mounted upon the shaft D is a casing C of requisite dimensions, said shaft D and casing C being capable of independent relative rotation. ()Ene 1' are also preferably integrally formed with a block 2, of a length equal to the length of the cylinder 1 and said block 2,

at the axial center of the casing C, is pro- 1 the driving shaft D and preferably integral therewith is a cylindrical member 5 snugly fitting within the chamber 3. The periphery of the member 5 is provided with a reverse spiral cam channel or groove 6.

Mounted for rectilinear movement with- -in each of the cylinders 1 is a piston 7, having operatively engaged therewith the rod' 8. The rod 8 is substantially U-shape in form with the outer leg 8 thereof extending within a groove or channel 4. The free end portion or extremity of said leg 8 is provided with a laterally disposed .part 9 which is seated and rides within the spiral cam channel 6 so that as the driving shaft D rotates, the piston 7 will be caused to reciprocate within its cylinder 1.

- Each of the pistons 7, as herein disclosed, is of a hollow type and the closed end or head thereof is provided with a port 10 with which coacts a check valve 11, said valve being closed upon the inward thrust of the piston 7 and opening upon the outward thrust. Suitably secured to the outer face of the head or plate H is an annular chamber E in communication, as at 12, with each of the cylinders 1, and said communication is under control of a check valve 14: which is closed upon the outward thrust of the advjacent pistons 7 and open upon its inward thrust.

The chamber E is common to all of the cylinders 1 and is also in communication. as at 15, with the casing C and the flow through said connection 15 is under automatic control, as will hereinafter be more particularly referred to.

Secured to the outer face of a head or I plate H is a housing A having its outer closed end or'head 16 freely engaged with the driven shaft S. The drive shaft D extends wlthin said housing A and to said portion of the shaft D is fixed a relatively broad gear 17. Meshing with the'gear 17. are the diametrically opposed-gears 18. Each of the gears 18 is fixed to a shaft 19 rotatably supported by a carriage 20, supported by the wall of the housing A for sliding movement in a direction longitudinally of the shaft D and the shaft S. The adjacent end of the driven shaft S has aflixed thereto a gear 21, preferably of a greater radius than the gear 17 The gear 21 is in mesh with the gears 22, also fixed to the shafts 19. The gearing just referred to is in action at all times and by thls means, the driving shaft D' is operatively engaged with the driven shaft S and in a manner whereby the driven shaft S may is under control of the pistons rotate at varying speeds in accordance with the engine load and which varying speed 7 working in the cylinders 1.

Each of the carriages 20 is also provided with a relatively broad gear 23 constantly in mesh with a gear 18. When the carriages 20 are moved outwardly to a sufficient extent, the gears 22 disengage from the gear 21 and the gears 23 mesh therewith resulting in a reverse rotation of the shaft S. 24 denotes an actuating mechanism for the carriages 20 and which mechanism may be operated in any desired manner.

It is to be understood'that when the shaft S is in reverse, a suitable braking means, as indicated at 2 5, is employed to positively-hold the casing against rotation.

In practice, the casing or reservoir C,the cylinders 1 and the chamber E are substantially entirely filled with oil and the circulation of said oil or mobile medium is under control of the valve V. At a predetermined point, a wallof the chamber E is provided with an opening 26 which is closed by a block 27. The block 27 is provided with the marginal flanges 28 overlying the outer face of the adjacent wall of the member E whereby the block 27 may be effectively held in applied position through the instrumentality of the screws 29 or other fastening means. The inner face of the block 27 has extending longitudinally thereof and entirely therealon-g a groove or channel 30 substantially semicircular in cross section and the opposite end portions of the block 27' are provided with the inwardly disposed loops 31 having their inner-walls or faces also substantially semicircular and in continuity with the groove or channel 30. The block 27 also has directed laterally therethrough and in communication with the groove or channel 30 the ports 32.

- The valve V is substantially semicircular I in cross section and provided at its opposite end portions with the cylindrical parts 33 which are received within the bearings provided by the loops 31. The central portion of thevalve V is provided with ports 34 adapted to register with the ports 32 hereinbefore referred to.

Theports 32 communicate with a housing 35 suitably secured to the wall of the chamber mitted. The poise or weight 41, has sliding movement between the guide rods ,or members 42 interposed between the side walls of the housing 35 whereby said weight or poise 41 has movement in substantially ,a fixed path of travel.

When the driving shaft D is set in motion, the oil is umped by the pistons 7 into the chamber Pi through the ports 12 and as the speed of the shaft D increases, the

* resultant centrifugal force causes-theweight or poise 41 to move outwardly, thereby rocking the valve member V, as illustrated in Figure 6, into a position to completely close the ports 32,.whereby the circulation of the oil or other fluid medium is stopped and the resistance offered between the pistons 7 and the closed ends of the cylinders 1 drive the casing or reservoir, C and the parts carried thereby as a unit with the driving shaft D and whereby the driven shaft is caused to operate direct fromthe driving shaft.

.As the load on the engine increases, the

resultant reduction in rotation of the casing or reservoir C- and its concomitant parts will cause the weight or poise 41 to swing inwardly in accordance with such increase of load, resulting in the ports 34 in the valve member V registering with the ports '32 in the block 27. This movement of the poise or weight 41 is facilitated by the spring or expansible member 43-carried by the upper face ofthe poise or weight 41. -The member 44, as illustrated in Figures-5 and 6,

provides means for limiting the extent of registration of the ports 32 and '34 and T operates in the manner partic'ularl set forth in my 'co-pending application, 360,954, filed February 24,1920.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to -be obvious that a speed changing mechanism constructed, in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the. convenience and facility with which it may be assembled erial No.

' and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and

l for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arf it rangement and formation of the several cation with each of the cylinders and the casing, means carried by the driving shaft and positioned within thecasing for imparting rectilinear movement tothe pistons, each of said pistons being provided with a port affording communication within the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston, said casing, cylinders and chamber being adapted to contain a mobile medium and a single means interposed in the chamber and operating automatically to control the flow of the mobile medium through the chamber and the cylinders.

2. In a speed changing mechanism, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, and means operatively connecting said shafts including a casing mounted upon the driving shaft, said driving shaft and casing being capable of relative independent rotation, cylinders arranged within the casing and movable therewith, pistons movable within the cylinders, a chamber in communication with the casing and each of said cylinders inwardly of its piston, the opposite end of the cylinder being open, said piston being provided with a port affording communication within the cylinder at opposite sides of the,piston, a cylindrical member carried by the drive shaft and positioned within the casing, the periphery of saidmember being provided with a reverse spiral cam channel, a substantially U-shaped rod coacting with each of the pistons, the outer leg of said signature.

WILLIAM I. WHEELER. 

